Kogi: Faleke’s fate unknown 24hrs to inauguration

With the inauguration of Yahaya Bello as the governor of the Kogi State slated for Wednesday, the fate of his deputy governor-elect, Abiodun Faleke is still unknown as the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has dashed his (Faleke’s) hope of stopping the inauguration.

This is even as the campaign coordinators of Bello in Kogi East Senatorial district have put forward the name of an Abuja-based publisher and politician, Mr. Gowon Usman Egbunu, as their preferred candidate for the position of deputy governor in the state.

The tribunal yesterday struck out two motions seeking interlocutory injunction to stop Bello’s inauguration as the governor of the state.

Justice Halima Mohammed, chairman of the Tribunal, in dismissing the motions, said though the tribunal has Jurisdiction to entertain such prayers, the motions were not contained in the original petitions brought by the plaintiffs involved.

Read also: Kogi: The inside forces against Faleke

She said granting the motions filled by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party, LP, will definitely affect the life of the original case before the court.

The Labour Party (LP) has also filed a motion seeking to stop Bello’s inauguration on the ground that he had no deputy as at the time of the supplementary election of 5th December 2015.

Justice Mohammed urged all the parties in the case to prepare for accelerated hearing of the substantive case which will commence from next sitting, warning that the tribunal will no longer entertain the pre -hearing matters again.

 

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